Parallel ground-throw switch-stand



v A T. H. EDELBLUTE. PARALLEL GROUND THROW SWITCH STAND.

APPLICATION. FILED APR.14, I921 Patented Oct. '11, 1921.

T E E H 4 s T E E "n s 2 %INVENTOR; 2.. 2/

T. H. EDELBLUTE. PARALLEL GROUND THRQW SWITCH STAND. 7

APPLICATION ma o 11311.14. 1921.

1,398,677. "Pfltented Oct. 11,1921. 2 SHEETS-SHEET-Z.

Ii 7 fig. 9 26 HI 2595 25 UNITED STATES PARALLEL GROUND-THROWSWITCH-STAND.

Application filed April 14, 1921.

To all w/lomit may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS H. EDEL- nLU'rn, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Pittsburgh, in the county of Allegheny and State ofPennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improve ments inParallel Ground-Throw Switch- Stands, of which the following is aspecilication.

This invention is for a switch stand, and relates particularly to aswitch stand of the type in which the lever for throwing the switch ishorizontal and close to the ground when the switch is in either of itstwo operating positions.

Switches of this type are particularly useful in mines and other placesin which the space is very limited and where it is important that thereshould be no projections extendinn' any substantial distance abovetheground level. Switch stands of this type have been made but, by reasonof some of the parts being grooved or slotted, or in other types by theinclusion of gearing, the connection is not positive, and they arerelatively expensive to build.

An object of the present invention is to provide av switch stand of thistype which may be cheaply and easily made, and in which the parts areheld against relative movement, and in which they may be positivelyconnected.

My invention may be readily understood by reference to the accompanyingdrawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a top view of a preferred form of my invention with aportion of the supporting plate broken away;

ig. 2 is a similar view showing the entire supporting plate and showingthe mechanism moved to the opposite position from that in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 shows a side elevation of the device shown in Fig. 1;

' Fig. 4 is a section on line IV-JV of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a portion of the device;

Fig. 6 is a plan view of a modified construction;

Fig. 7 is a section on line VII-VII of Fig. 6;

Fig. 8 shows in elevation a portion of the side of the switch standshown in Fig. 6.

Referrin to F ms. 1 to 5 of the (lI'fiWHlP, b o.

Specification of Iietters Patent.

Patented Oct. 11, 1921.

Serial No. 461,262.

5 represents asupporting plate which is arched in the center, as shown,and on the ends of which are flanges 6 adapted to rest on the tops ofthe cross ties, as indicated in Fig. 8, the flanges being notched, asshown, for the reception of fastening means. The supporting plate 5 isadapted to be placed substantially parallel with the rails and may beformed of a single malleable casting, or in any other preferred manner.Depending from one side of the arched portion of this supporting memberis an integral lug 7. Projecting from a suitable point on the top ofmember 5 is a boss 8 having a central opening therethrough.

One end of the connecting rod for moving the switch point is indicatedat 9, and it is pivotally connected at 10 with an arm 11 on the post 12,the upper end. of whichpost is rounded and shouldered as clearly shownin Fig. This rounded end 12' is threaded, and extends upwardly throughplate 5 and boss 8, which provides a bearing, and a nut 18 on thethreaded projecting end 12 ivotally holds the post in position. It ispreferred that arm 11 and post 12 be formed from a single casting andthat the upper end be machined, but I do not limit myself to suchconstruction. An arm ll having one end rounded at 15 has its oppositeend bifurcated at 16, and the two side members are adapted to embracethe post 12. A transverse pin 17 passing through the bifurcated endsections and through post 12 serves to pivotally hold the arm 14 on thepost. rides a bell crank havinga. rigid arm 11 and a hinged or pivotedarm 14.

Projecting from lug 7 is a pin 18 which provides a pivot for anoperating or throw lever 19 on one end of which is a weighted handle 20.The center of rotation or axis on which lever 19 turns is in the samehorizontal plane as the axis of arm 14 and in the same vertical plane asthe axis of post 12.

Passing through that end of the lever 19 which is not provided with ahandle is a diagonal opening 21, the angle of which con responds to theangular position which is assumed by the arm 14 and the rounded portion15 thereof when the bell crank is turned to either of the positionsshown in Figs. 1 and 2. The opening 21 lies in substantially the samehorizontal plane as pin 17 when the lever 19 .iS in either of its twooperating This construction nrois bifurcated, as shown.

as pin 37,

the parts were on dead center, as hereinbe- The rounded end of arm 1 1projects through the opening 21,

mg forming a bearing therefor.

In Fig. 1, the parts are in position to hold a switch closed. Handle 19is in a horizontal plane and does not'proj ect above support ing member5. Opening 21, pin 17, and pin 18 areall in the and pin 18 .are on adead center, so that any thrust on rod 9 cannot be transmitted throughthe bell crank'to operate the lever. When it is desired to open theswitch, handle is lifted& and swung through an arc of substantially 180to the position shown in Fig. 2, 'During this movement of the lever,opening 21, and consequently arm 14:, swing through an; arc. By\ reasonof the pivot provided at 17, arm 1st may move vertically, as indicatedby the arrow in Fig. 3. 1n otherwords, arm 1e may swing downwardly andthen upwardly with the end of lever 19. This movement of lever 19,transmitted through arm 14, rocks post 12 on a vertical axis, swingingarm 9 in a horizontal plane, to thereby open the switch (not shown).\Vhen the lever has thus been moved in a vertical plane through an arcof 180, the arm 15 and pin 18 are again in dead center and the switch isautomatically held againstopening through thrust on rod 9. V

The construction shown in Figs. 6 to 8 inclusive of the drawings issomewhat similar to that just described. In this construction, is anarched supporting plate, and 26 are the tie engaging flanges. Dependingfrom the plate 25 is arelatively large curved lug 27. Pivotallysupported by plate 25 by means of bolt 28 and nut 28 is a bell crank 29having .anarm 30 pivotally connected at 31 to a connecting rod 32 foractuating the switch. The other arm 33 of the bell crank Hinged to arm83 by means of pin 34 passing through the bifurcated end of the arm isan extension 35 having a rounded end 36. Pivoted on a pin 37 extendingoutwardly from lug 27 is an operating lever 38 having a weighted handle39. The other end of the lever is slotted at 10, instead of having .anangular bore therethrough, as does the lever shown in Fig. 1, and therounded end portion 36 of extension 35 passes through this slot.

The lug 27 is of such size and shape that the rounded portion 36 willbear against it. Thus, when the switch is in either of its two operatingpositions, the parts are held against movement by any thrust on rod 32by reason of the extension arm engaging the lug, and lying in the samehorizontal plane the effect being the same as if fore described.

In either of the two constructions descr1bed, 1t Wlll be seen that thereis a disame plane and opening 21' rect positive engagement between theoperating lever and the switch operating means. The arched supportingplate provides a guard which protects all the operating parts and servesas a supporting member for such parts as well Thus, the stand may bemade very small and compact and will not project very high above theties when in use. By reason of the end of the swinging bell crank armbeing passed directly through the end of the operating or throw lever, aminimum number of parts need be employed. The throw lever, being pivotedbetween its ends to the depending lug on the arched supporting plate isfree to be in a horizontal position at either limit of its throw.Various changes and modifica tions, however, may be made in theconstruction shown without departing from the invention.

1 claim as my invention:

1. 1-1 switch stand comprising a supporting member, a hell crank havingtwo arms pivotally carried on the supporting member, means whereby theouter end of one of the arms may be moved in an arc relatively to theother arm, said means including a horizontally pivoted connection, anoperating lever pivoted between its ends to the supporting member andarranged to swing through an arc of substantially 180 degrees, a handleportion at one side of the pivot, the part of the lever at the otherside of the pivot having an opening therethrough through which passesthe relatively movable 100 end of the bell crank arm.

2. A switch stand comprising an arched supporting member, having itscentral portion higher than the ends thereof, the ends "forming tieengaging means, a depending .105 lug portion on the supporting member,an operating lever pivoted to said depending portion, a bell crankpivoted to the'central portion of the supporting member and on the underside thereof, a pivoted arm on 1 the bell crank, the pivot for said armbeing horizontal, said operating lever having an opening therethroughthrough which the outer end of said pivoted. arm extends.

3. A switch stand comprising a supporting member, a bell crank havingtwo arms pivotally carried by the supporting member, means whereby theouter end ofone of the arms may be moved in an are relatively to theother arm, and a lever pivoted on the 120 supporting member and havingan opening therethrough angularly disposedwith relation to the pivot ofsaid lever and through which the relatively movable end of said arm ispassed. 7

1. A switch stand comprising a supporting member, a bell crank havingtwo arms pivotally mounted on the supporting member, means whereby theouter end of one of the arms may be moved in an are relatively 130 tothe other arm, an operating lever pivoted between its ends to thesupporting member and arranged to be swung through an arc of 180degrees, one end of the lever having a handle thereon and the other endhaving an opening therethrough through which passes the movable end ofsaid arm, said opening being disposed at an angle relatively to thepivot of said operating lever.

F. A switch stand comprising a supporting member, a bell crank havingtwo arms pivotally mounted on the supporting member, means whereby theouter end of one of the arms may be moved in an are relatively to theother arm, an operating lever pivoted between its ends to the supportingmember, one end of the lever having a handle thereon and the other endhaving an opening there through disposed at an angle to the pivot ofsaid operating lever through which passes the movable end of said arm,said lever being so arranged as to be swung through an arc ofsubstantially 180 and adapted to be substantially horizontal when at thelimits of its throw, and the arrangement being such that when at thelimits of its throw the parts are held against movement except byoperation of the lever.

6. A switch stand comprising a supporting member, a bell crankcomprising a post having two arms thereon, one of which is pivotedthereto on a horizontal pivot, a lever pivoted to the supporting memberon a horizontal pivot, a handle on the lever, said lever having anopening therein disposed at an angle to the horizontal pivot about whichthe operating lever turns through which passes the outer end of thepivoted arm of said bell crank.

7. A switch stand comprising a supporting member, a bell crankcomprising a post having two arms thereon, one of which is pivotedthereto on a horizontal pivot, a lever pivoted to the supporting memberon a horizontal pivot, a handle on the lever, said lever having anopening therein disposed at an angle to the horizontal pivot about whichthe operating lever turns through which passes the outer end of thepivoted arm of said bell crank, said pivots for the bell crank and leverbeing in the same vertical plane, and the pivots for the lever and forthe arm of said bell crank being in the same horizontal plane, and saidhandle being capable of movement through an arc of about 180.

8. A switch stand including a supporting member, a bell crank pivotedthereon, said bell crank having one of its arms pivoted, an operatinglever pivoted to the supporting member and movable in a vertical planethrough an arc of substantially 180 and adapted to be horizontal when atthe limits of its throw, said lever having an opening passingtherethrough through which extends the outer end of said pivoted bellcrank arm, the angle of the opening corresponding to the angle assumedby the pivoted arm relatively to the axis of rotation of theoperating'arm', the centers of rotation of the bell crank and the leverbeing in the same vertical plane.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature presence of two witnesses.

THOMAS H. EDELBLUTE. Witnesses Lois lVINnMAN, M. H. PARMELEE.

